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City Group notes.

Resources for our mid-week groups.
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1 John.

Summer Term 2025.

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Our preaching series in May–July 2025 will be working through 1 John. ​​The questions and activities below are suggested ways of engaging with this outside of the Sunday service: individually, with a friend, or as a basis for City Group discussions. You should be able to use these questions even if you haven’t heard the sermon. 

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You may not have time for all of the questions in a City Group evening, so consider them as a menu of options to pick from, either in advance or in the moment as you see how the discussion progresses. Some of the questions are repeated in multiple weeks; others are specific to one week's passage. Make sure you include some of the “implications” section so that the discussion isn't just theoretical. 

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Quick Links
Tips for leading  |  4 May  |  11 May  |  18 May  |  25 May  |  1 June  |  8 June  |  15 June  |  22 June (no notes)  |  29 June  |  6 July
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Tips for Leading Bible Discussions.

  1. In advance, try to at least read the passage, pray for the group, and decide which of the suggested questions and activities you’re going to prioritise. 

  2. You want to help the group to have a discussion with each other, so don’t talk too much yourself, and do encourage them to respond to each other’s contributions (“That’s an interesting point; what does everyone else think about that?” – especially useful if someone’s said something unhelpful.)

  3. Encourage people to discover things in the Bible passage, not just share their own ideas (“It’d be great if you could share which verse you’re looking at when you answer this question.”)

  4. Generally speaking, ask one question at a time, and keep it simple to understand (even if it’s not simple to answer!)

  5. Make sure everyone gets a chance to participate. Discussing something in 3s and 4s is a great way to do this.

  6. Don’t be afraid to leave silences, nor to call time on a side-track that’s gone on for longer than is helpful.

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​Week commencing 4th May:  1 John 1:1–4

Observe the passage

  • What (if anything) do you already know about 1 John?

  • Maybe read the whole letter (allow 20min)??

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick out everything John tells us about the "word of life".

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Understand the passage

  • According to this passage, why does John want to talk and write about Jesus?

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • How could you use this passage to explain the good news about Jesus to someone?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • What might it look like for City Church to value fellowship with God and with one another as much as John does here?

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

  • Pray for God for the term ahead, for yourselves, your City Group, and the whole church, that we would be encouraged and changed by God as we spend time in 1 John.

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​Week commencing 11 May:  1 John 1:5–2:11

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • How does the gospel give us confidence to confess our sins? 

  • If I’ve confessed my sins to God and know He’s forgiven me, do I need to confess them to anyone else? (You might like to look at Acts 19:18–20, Jas 5:15–16 as well as 1 John 1:5–10.)

  • How could you use this passage to explain the good news about Jesus to someone?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • Have a few moments of quiet where each person can confess to God whatever sins He brings to mind and express their repentance to Him.

  • In 3s and 4s (single-sex groups might be helpful): What areas of sin in your life is God highlighting to you at the moment? What do you need to do to respond? Pray for one another.

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​Week commencing 18 May:  1 John 2:12–27

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • What does it mean to "overcome the evil one" (v14)?

  • What is "the anointing"? Who has it?

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • How could you use this passage to explain the good news about Jesus to someone?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • John was writing to reassure his readers that they had eternal life (5:13). Take some time to individually ask God to bring reassurance (or challenge as necessary!) to you through this passage. Share in threes and fours what you think He's saying.

  • In threes and fours:  Having looked at this passage, what do you think God is calling you to do? Specifically?!

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

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​Week commencing 25 May:  1 John 2:28–3:10

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • What does this passage teach us about the devil?

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • How could you use this passage to explain the good news about Jesus to someone?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • John was writing to reassure his readers that they had eternal life (5:13). Take some time to individually ask God to bring reassurance (or challenge as necessary!) to you through this passage. Share in threes and fours what you think He's saying.

  • In threes and fours:  Having looked at this passage, what do you think God is calling you to do? Specifically?!

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

  • Praise the Son of God that He came to destroy the devil's works!

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​Week commencing 1 June:  1 John 3:11–24

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • How could you use this passage to explain the good news about Jesus to someone?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • John was writing to reassure his readers that they had eternal life (5:13). Take some time to individually ask God to bring reassurance (or challenge as necessary!) to you through this passage. Share in threes and fours what you think He's saying.

  • In threes and fours:  Having looked at this passage, what do you think God is calling you to do? Specifically?!

  • All together:  What might it look like for City Church to grow in the kind of love for one another this passage describes?

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

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​Week commencing 8 June:  1 John 4:1–6

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • Divide into three or four groups and give each group one of the following phrases from the passage.  Ask them to try to come up with a way of describing in everyday language what it means:  (1) test the spirits, (2) the spirit of the antichrist, (3) the world, (4) the one who is in the world.

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • What does it mean that we have overcome (v4)?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • John was writing to reassure his readers that they had eternal life (5:13). Take some time to individually ask God to bring reassurance (or challenge as necessary!) to you through this passage. Share in threes and fours what you think He's saying.

  • In threes and fours:  Having looked at this passage, what do you think God is calling you to do? Specifically?!

  • All together:  What might it look like for City Church to grow in the kind of love for one another this passage describes?

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

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​Week commencing 15 June:  1 John 4:7–5:4

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • John was writing to reassure his readers that they had eternal life (5:13). Take some time to individually ask God to bring reassurance (or challenge as necessary!) to you through this passage. Share in threes and fours what you think He's saying.

  • What might it look like for City Church to grow in the kind of love for one another this passage describes?

  • One of the ways we work together to love one another is by serving on church teams. What teams are people already serving in? Why do you serve there?

  • In threes and fours: in the light of this passage, do you think you need to carry on serving as you are, join a new team, leave a current team, or both?! (Any of those answers may be legitimate, depending on peoel's circumstances!) (There's a list of serving areas with contact details on the church website here.)

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

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​Week commencing 22 June:  Standalone sermon

​[No suggested questions this week.]​

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​Week commencing 29 June:  1 John 5:5–13

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • How could you use this passage to explain the good news about Jesus to someone?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • John was writing to reassure his readers that they had eternal life (5:13). Take some time to individually ask God to bring reassurance (or challenge as necessary!) to you through this passage. Share in threes and fours what you think He's saying.

  • In threes and fours:  Having looked at this passage, what do you think God is calling you to do? Specifically?!

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

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​Week commencing 6 July:  1 John 5:14–21

Observe the passage

  • Ask someone to read this week's passage.

  • Ask someone else to re-read some or all of the passage.

  • In twos and threes, look over the passage again and pick any characteristic(s) of true believers that it describes.

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Understand the passage

  • Feed back from the twos and threes and then discuss together: WHY is it that believers will look like this?

  • What do v18–19 teach us about the devil?

  • Divide into three or four groups and give each group one of the following phrases from the passage.  Ask them to try to come up with a way of describing in everyday language what it means:  (1) we have what we have asked, (2) sin that does/doesn't lead to death, (3) the world, (4) idols.

  • How does this passage showcase God's grace to us?

  • What questions do you have about this passage?

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Implications of the passage

  • In threes and fours:  Having looked at this passage, what do you think God is calling you to do? Specifically?!

  • Thinking back over the term, what has God done in you as we've spent time in 1 John?

  • Pray for one another and the church in the light of the things you've been discussing.

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